Discover the (un)common tongue at the 8th annual Overload Poetry Festival.

With Melbourne's new mantle as a UNESCO City of Literature, Melbourne's poets are ready to make some serious noise at this year's festival and take poetry to the people like never before.

The festival spans ten days showcasing all forms of poetry - from slammers to sound poets, with a particular emphasis on spoken word performance.

Fed Square will come alive with words during the festival. The ticker wall on the corner of Flinders and Swanston Streets will become a giant poetry board at night with Haikus and short poems.

Some of the Festival highlights include:
-A key-note address by Jennifer Harrison in honour of the late Dorothy Porter
-A five day experimental poetry bonanza at the Glitch Bar
-Jazz poet Lewis Scott (NZ) in performance at the Northcote Social Club
-Popular MC 'The Tongue' (NSW) and The Bedroom Philosopher mix it up with Melbourne's finest poets
-Poetry Pub Crawl back by popular demand
-The inaugural Slam off with Bristol Poetry Festival via Skype at ACMI
-'The Whisperers,' Australian poets responding to the Joseph Brown Collection of Australian art at the NGV Australia
-And of course; plenty of poetry readings throughout the city

More details: overloadpoetry.org